Take a moment and reflect on your life. On a daily basis, how many times do you spew out lame excuses for not getting up, getting out and doing something? Whether you’re too tired to roll out of bed for that 8 AM sociology class, complaining of the Monday morning doldrums or convinced life has dealt you a bad hand of cards, we’ve all felt sorry for ourselves at one point.
Don’t even think about bringing that nonsense to Matt Scott.
Every child who lives, breathes and drinks basketball dreams of national championships, pro ball, Olympic medals and Nike ads. Scott has done all of this and more in the inspiring confines of a wheelchair.
“It’s never been like something was taken from me,” Scott says. “I never felt down. I’ve met some really interesting people through this sport. I’m a world traveler, professional athlete, I’ve been to the Olympics twice. I’ve done some things that a lot of people can’t say that they did.”
Many folks probably figure Scott never should have reached these heights. He downplays his accomplishments insisting he has “kind of a boring story”. Born with spine bifida (incomplete development of the spinal cord), doctors doubted him from the very start.
“An excuse is worse than a lie, for an excuse is a lie guarded”.
-Alexander Pope
“When he was born, they tried to get us to let him expire,” recalls his mother Audrey Scott. “Their exact words were you don’t have that much money and this child will never standup, walk or crawl. We should let him just expire. My baby did everything they said he wouldn’t do.”
Indeed he did. He even faced the reality of death.
After an infection spread throughout his body as a child, doctors said his foot and legs would have to be amputated. If not, he would die.
“Matt at first said no, I don’t want nothing cut off,” his mother says. “I said I respect how you feel. Mommy is going to make sure you get buried and you have a really nice funeral and I will take really good care of you. A couple days later he agreed to the surgery.”
Needless to say the little boy made the decision of a lifetime. Scott grew up in Detroit a happy go lucky kid completely ignoring a fact no else couldn’t. He did everything his friends did. When the neighborhood kids played on the court, little Matt was right there getting run. No special treatment either.
“I couldn’t believe it,” long time friend Sam Elia says. “He played better than I did for sure and just so aggressive. It didn’t stop him at all. You know how some people are like take it easy, he’s in a wheelchair? You actually had to go harder with him because he was a really athletic guy.”
“I was really lucky to have the friends that I have because they never took it easy on me at all,” says Scott. “In fact, if there was a way they could absolutely dominate me or just completely take advantage of a weakness they would do it. They didn’t look down on me. I think that really helped me as far as my independence goes.”
The kid who dribbled the basketball everywhere from lunch to bed found an outlet to show off his game with wheelchair basketball at the age of 14. There were reservations at first.
“I always played with my able body friends,” he says. “I never even considered myself as having a disability. When I heard wheelchair basketball I’m just like I don’t want to play basketball with people in wheelchairs. I saw it in a negative light. That’s me being in a wheelchair so I can’t imagine what some people think sometimes when they hear wheelchair basketball.”
Scott played juniors in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. He led the Michigan Thunderbirds to an undefeated season, captured two national titles and MVP honors. Soon word was spreading fast about the kid’s raw potential and passion for the game.
Pretty soon Scott witnessed how far wheelchair basketball could take him. In 2004 at 18-years of age, he made the U.S. Paralympics team that went on to represent the country in Athens, Greece.
David Kiley is considered to be a wheelchair basketball pioneer. He remembers his first matchup with Scott. It was a day he knew his time was up.
“I came in with a big rep and he was on me like a glove” Kiley says with a slight chuckle. “I was older in my game at that point and it was then that I knew Matt was really going to be special as he grew more into his game. He does things in his chair that I’ve seen no other human do. He can be going full speed and get clipped and barrel rolled and come up without missing a beat.”
Young players coming up are always told to use the game for a better education and life. The game can be the perfect route to a college education for those who otherwise wouldn’t have that opportunity. Think of a young person like Scott who was in a different circumstance compared to the regular student-athlete and a mother worried about his well being.
Quiet as kept, there are about twelve college programs who offer competitive wheelchair basketball programs (including Alabama, Arizona and Illinois).
Turning down a full scholarship offer from the University of Texas-Arlington, Scott went against the grain and opted for comfort at the University Wisconsin-Whitewater.
“In high school you get offered a full ride that’s a huge deal,” Scott says. “I met with the coach at University Wisconsin-Whitewater. Really hit it off well with him. I really felt like he could untap the potential I was trying to untap. So I turned down that full ride. My mom was in tears. She couldn’t believe it. It was the best decision of my life.”
Scott led the school to three national championships, pouring in 13.5 points and 3.1 steals per game as a senior. His four-year collegiate performance garnered an ESPY award nomination for best male athlete with a disability. This also prompted an athletic apparel giant to call on his services.
“It’s funny now because I can’t even make an excuse,” says Scott. “People just rub it in my face. Come on Mr. No Excuses. I gotta be down for everything. I can’t make an excuse anymore. It feels good to be an advocate for people who put all their obstacles aside. For people that no matter what their situation is who don’t make excuses and go out and do the things you want to do.”
Scott has accomplished everything he’s wanted and more. He’s perhaps the most recognizable face in the game of wheelchair basketball. Kiley says he’s probably the highest paid American player overseas. Fresh off making the national team for the 2012 Paralympic Games, Scott is heading back to Istanbul, Turkey for his fourth season across the pond with the Galasaray club. Life isn’t too bad for the twenty-six year old.
But it’s something else about Scott. It’s more than his signature chiseled frame and tenacious defense. It’s a smile that exemplifies the beauty of the human will. A smile marveled by a former competitor and coach in Kiley. A smile Audrey Scott remembers from her baby boy fighting odds with life just beginning.
“Matthew was a very special child,” the older Scott says. “Every time he was in the hospital he had this reputation of having a tremendous smile. He’s always smiling. When you’re child is born, in your mind you can’t put them in a category because sometimes because you put them in a category they never come out of it. You treat them like any other child and they will have an opportunity.”
“He’s got an infectious smile and an intense game approach,” Kiley says. “I think it’s an amazing blueprint that he’s made on the sport of wheelchair basketball that a lot of juniors and young adults have been inspired by. He’s been a difference maker as far as how our sport is received.”
Sure he wants to win a second European championship next season. A gold medal in London would be nice as well. But Scott knows his life journey is deeper than a wheelchair and basketball. Who knew the weights he pulled on the back of his chair to train would one day equip him to shoulder the hopes of those doubted in life.
“I’m out here to make my family proud,” he says. “There are so many people that are supporting me. There are so many people in my corner. I gotta make them proud. It’s so many people looking up to me. I gotta give them something to look up to.”
Somewhere out there a kid can only dream of running the length of the court and elevating like their pro heroes. They don’t have to be like Mike. Being like Matt is not so bad.
“Stay positive,” Scott says. “Don’t let small obstacles get you down. It’s not easy to live with a disability. But also they need to realize that there are so many opportunities. Some of the things that I’ve done, I don’t think I would have been able to do that if I didn’t have a disability. Use the things that are given to you. Don’t look at it as far as having a disability. There are still opportunities. We should all just go after them.”
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